-
Israeli Defense Minister Confirms Hezbollah is in Severe Distress
-
The description of Hezbollah's critical situation indicates Israel's effort to justify its military escalation and convince the international community of the need to continue pressure on the Lebanese
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant made notable statements about the current situation of Lebanese Hezbollah, confirming that the organization is facing a "great ordeal" in light of ongoing Israeli military operations. These statements came during an inspection visit to Israeli forces stationed near the Lebanese border.
Gallant emphasized in a statement from his office that Israel will not stop fighting Hezbollah before ensuring the safe return of Israeli citizens to their homes in the border areas. He added, "We will only negotiate under fire. I said this on the first day, I said it in Gaza, and I'm saying it here."
The Israeli minister's statements come at a time when confrontations are escalating on the Lebanese-Israeli border. Hezbollah announced violent clashes with Israeli forces around the border town of Al-Qouzah, using "various types of machine guns."
Despite Gallant's assertions about Hezbollah's critical situation, the organization's continued military operations raise questions about the accuracy of Israeli assessments. Since the escalation began on September 23, at least 1,356 people have fallen in Lebanon, according to official statistics, and more than a million people have been displaced from their homes.
Analysts view Gallant's description of Hezbollah's situation as a "great ordeal" as possibly an attempt to send deterrent messages to the Lebanese organization and its regional supporters.
Israel continues to escalate its raids on Lebanon, mainly targeting what it describes as Hezbollah strongholds in southern and eastern Lebanon, as well as the southern suburb of Beirut. On September 30, it announced the start of "limited" ground operations in southern Lebanon.
Levant-Agencies
